Pele has challenged Cristiano Ronaldo to “score more than 1,283 goals” for club and country.

Ronaldo and Pepe at the FIFA world player GALA 2017

Ronaldo struck a hat-trick for Portugal in a 5-1 World Cup qualifying victory over the Faroe Islands on Thursday, which brought his international goal tally to 78.

Only four male players have scored more goals for their country in history, and Ronaldo will now set his sights on Godfrey Chitalu, who scored 79 goals for Zambia between 1968 and 1980.

The Real Madrid forward’s first strike against the Faroes was an acrobatic effort, one which Pele was impressed by.

“I saw the goal, It was really special,” he told Goal. “It was a really nice play.

“Of course, these are different times. But the beautiful thing about football is the goals. And I take this opportunity to send a big greeting to Cristiano Ronaldo for that victory.”

But in reference to his own career goals record, which stands at 1,283 but includes post-retirement benefit games, matches in training and beating his mates on FIFA, the three-time World Cup winner added: “Now he has to score more than 1,283 goals!”

For those counting, Ronaldo has 608 goals at the age of 32. Against real opponents.